Endless loop tape-recording having single capstan bi-directional drive and tape run above recording station

ABSTRACT

An endless loop tape-record machine comprises dictating and transcribing stations and respective tape storage bins therebelow placed end-to-end. The tape is drawn from the far end of the transcriber&#39;&#39;s bin across the two stations and back into the far end of the dictator&#39;&#39;s bin. Excess tape is stored folded in loops back and forth on itself in the transcriber&#39;&#39;s bin as the transcriber catches up with the dictator, and in the dictator&#39;&#39;s bin as the dictator runs ahead more and more from the transcriber. Each station has a single motor drive with a friction-wheel train engaged by the weight of the motor and shiftable by drive and scan solenoids to drive the tape at either normal forward speed or at scan speeds in either direction. A suspensory band at the bottom of the transcriber&#39;&#39;s bin is attached at one end to a yieldable support for operating a switch by the weight of the tape to give a first preliminary warning to the dictator as he comes to an intermediate point along the tape - say 4 or 5 minutes of using up the available tape, and for giving a near-end warning as he approaches the end of the available tape.

United States Patent [191 Totino ENDLESS LOOP TAPE-RECORDING I HAVING SINGLE CAPSTAN BI-DIRECTIONAL DRIVE AND TAPE RUN ABOVE RECORDING STATION [75] Inventor: Peter J. Totino, Union City, NJ.

[73]. Assignee: McGraw-Edison Company, Elgin,

Ill

[58] Field of Search 179/100.2 R, 100.2 Z, 100.2 S, 179/1001 DR; 226/49, 51, 50; 274/4 D 1451 Apr. 16, 1974 Primary Examiner-Bernard Konick Assistant Examiner-Robert S. Tupper Attorney, Agent, or Firm-George H. Fritzinger [5 7] ABSTRACT An endless loop tape-record machine comprises dictating and transcribing stations and respective tape' storage bins therebelow placed end-to-end. The tape is drawn from the far end of the transcribers bin across the two stations and back into the far end of the dictators bin. Excess tape is stored folded in loops back and forth on itself in the transcribers bin as the transcriber catches up with the dictator, and in the dictators bin as the dictator runs ahead more and more from the transcriber. Each station has a single motor drive with a friction-wheel train engaged by the weight of the motor and shiftable by drive and scan solenoids to drive the tape at either normal forward speed or at [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS scan speeds in either direction. A suspensory band at 3 385 492 $1968 Brand 226/49 the bottom of the transcribers bin is attachedat one 3257515 6/1966 NakaIlQ 'JIIIITIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 226/49 end yleldable by 6/1961 the welght of the tape to g1ve a first prehrnmary warn- 2'989594 6/1961 ing to the d1ctator as he comes to an mtermediate 3 457.790 9 9 9 point along the tape say 4 or 5 minutes of using up 3,041,4l7 6/1962 I the available tape, and for giving a near-end warning 2,984 398 5/1961, v as he approaches the end of the available tape. 3,698.723 10/1972 Kobler et a1. 179/1002 Z I 8 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTED APR 1 6 I974 SHEET 1 BF 2 Blob ENDLESS LOOP TAPE-RECORDING HAVING SINGLE CAPSTAN BI-DIRECTIONAL DRIVE AND TAPE RUN ABOVE RECORDING STATION An object of the invention is to provide a simplified endless-loop tape recording and reproducing machine for recording and transcribing dictation.

Another objectis to provide such machine having an economical drive system utilizing a single motor at each station with a single friction drive train for selectively advancing the tape at normal speed or for advancing and backfeeding the tape at a scan speed.

Another object is to provide such simplified drive system wherein the weight of the drive motor is utilized to provide driving pressure between the friction wheels of the drive train. 7

Another object is to provide sucha machine wherein a tape storage bin is provided for each station with the station centrally located above the bin to allow for storage of tape between the station and either end of the bin.

Another object is to provide such a machine wherein the drive capstan and forward and back feed pinch rollers of the drive system constitute a wall portion of the respective bins.

Another object is to provide such a machine wherein the bins are located end-to-end with passage of the tape through the inter wall and from the outer end of the transcriber's bin across the top of the stations back to the-outer end of the dictators bin.

Another object is to provide such a machine wherein intermediate-end and near-end signals are given to the dictator according to the weight of the tape in the transcribers bin.

Another object is to provide a suspensory strap or tape across the bottom of the transcribers bin having attachment at one end to an adjustably biased switch for controlling the dictators warning means] These and other objects and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the appended claims.

In the description of my invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of an endless loop tape-record machine according to the invention with the front panel cut away to show the internal mechanism;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the drive mechanism for one of the stations of the machine;

FIG. 3 is a fractional view of one the station drive mechanisms illustrating the mounting of the drive motor;

FIG..4 is a side view of the mechanism shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the transcribers station and associated storage bin with the front panel removed showing a dictators warning-control mechanism responsive to the weight of the tape in the transcribers bin; and

FIG. 6 is a vertical section on line 66 of FIG. 5.

The present endless-loop tape-record machine has an oblong cabinet 10 with a top compartment 11 separated by horizontal coplanar partition walls 12, 13 and 14 from the main lower portion of the cabinet divided by a vertical partition wall I7 to form end-to -end dictators and transcribers tape storage bins l5 and 16. The top compartment 11 houses a dictators operating mechanism 18, otherwise referred to as a dictators station, centrally located above the dictators storage bin 15 and a transcribers operating mechanism 19, otherwise referred to as a transcribers station, centrally above the transcribers storage bin 16. A tape 20 with a magnetic coating on one side is led from the storage bin 15 upwardly into and from the dictators station 18 via an opening 21 between partition walls 14 and 13, then from the bin 15 to the bin 16 via an opening 22 between the horizontal partition wall 13 and the vertical partition wall I7, next from the bin 16 into and from the transcribers station 19 via an opening 23 between the horizontal partition walls 13 and 12, then upwardly from the bin 16 via an opening 24 between the horizontal partition wall 12 and end wall of the cabinet 10 into the top compartment 11. By means of guide rollers 25, 26, 27'and 28 at the four corners of the top compartment the tape 20 is led over and across the stations I9 and I8 and then via an opening 29 between the horizontal partition wall 14 and end wall 10b of the cabinet back into the storage bin 15 to complete its entire loop. The overall length of the tape is typically very long, say 1,000 ft., with the excess of the tape being stored in folds looped back and forth on itself in one or the other, or both, of the storage bins. As will appear, there will be operating conditions wherein there will be an excess of tape between the entrance opening 29 and the dictators station 18 or between the dictators station and the exit opening 22 in either case of which the excess tape will assume a loose mass 30 of multitudinous folds in the dictators bin. Likewise, there will occur conditions in which a mass of excess tape will accumulate between the entrance opening 22 and the transcribers station 19 and/or between the transcribers station and the exit opening 24 in either case in which it will form a loose mass 30 of multitudinous folds 31 in the bin 16. Further, there will be conditions wherein an excess of tape will occur between a station and both the entrance and exit ends of the associated bin causing two separate loose masses of tape to accumulate in the respective bin. A feature of the invention which simplifies the overall construction of the machine is in providing the return loop of the tape back through the top cabinet 11 from the transcribers bin 16 to the dictators bin 15;

The dictators station 18 has an upper centrally located record-reproduce head 32 and a reproduce head 33, and the transcribers station has a reproduce head 34 across each of which the tape is drawn as it passes through these stations. A pair of pressure pads 32a and 33a at the dictators station and a pressure pad 34a at the transcribers station each under pressure of a spring 35 maintains the tape in intimate contact with the gaps of these heads. Directly below the respective heads of the stations is a reversible drive capstan 36, and at opposite sides thereof are forward and reverse pinch rollers 37 and 38. When the capstan is driven counterclockwise and the pinch roller 38 is engaged the tape is drawn into the respective station and across the respective head as in the direction of arrow 39 from the bin 15, with the tape passing from the bin between the right side of the capstan 36 and the pinch roller 37 now disengaged, then across guide pin 40 the respective head and guide pin 41, and next downwardly between the left side of the capstan 36 and the pinch roller 38 now engaged. When the dictator wants to listen back to a portion of previously recorded tape the drive of the capstan is reversed, the pinch roller 38 is disengaged and the pinch roller 37 is engaged. Since the drive mechanisms of the two stations may be identical corresponding parts of the drive mechanisms are given the same reference characters.

As shown by the detailed views in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, each drive mechanism comprises a reversible drive motor 42 having a floating mounting wherein the motor extends horizontally through a clearance opening 43 in a vertical frame plate 44 and has'a drive spindle 45 at one end and a flange plate 46 at the same end abutting against the rim of the opening 43 at the side of the frame plate facing the drive end of the motor. Two retainer bars 47 secured to the frame plate at the bottom of the opening 43 bear against the lower portion of the flange plate 46 to retain the motor slidably in a vertical plane against the frame plate, leaving the weight of the motor supported by the engagement of the drive spindle 45 against one or another wheel 48 or 49 of a friction drive train 50. Two studs 51 and 52 on the frame plate extend through clearance slots 51s and 52s in the flange plate 46 allowing the motor to turn bodily to a slightextend in one direction or the other as the direction of the motor is reversed. As the motor is shifted against one or the other of the studs 51 and 52 that stud becomes the fulcrum at one side or the other of a vertical plane through the drive spindle to provide the necessary traction to drive the friction train.

The friction wheel is part of a compound friction roller having a smaller concentric wheel 48a and a still smaller wheel or capstan 36 (before described) on a common shaft 48b journaled to the frame 44 (FIG. 4). When the drive spindle engages the whel.48 and the forward pinch roller 38 is engaged by solenoid 53 the capstan is driven at a speed to advance the tape at a normal recording rate. Any desired variation in the speed of the tape is accomplished by varying the voltage applied to the d. c. motor 42.

The friction wheel 49 is an intermediate one of the friction train 50 journaled to a link 54 which is in turn pivoted to an armature 55a of a solenoid 55. When the solenoid is not energized the wheel 49 is disengaged from the train by a spring 56 allowing the drive spindle 45 to engage the wheel 48 as before described.

However, when the solenoid 55 is energized the intermediate wheel 49 is interposed between the drive spindle 45 and the wheel 51 raising the motor spindle slightly to disengage it from the wheel 48. The coupling now obtained between the drive spindle 45 and the capstan 36 is at an increased ratio by the ratio of the diameter of the wheel 48 to that of the concentric wheel 48a to drive the capstan at a scan speed. Any further described increase in the scan speed is accomplished by increasing the voltage applied to the d. c. motor 42. When the forward pinch roller 38 is engaged simultaneously by activation of solenoid 53 the tape is advanced at the scan speed. When solenoid 53 is deenergized pinch roller 38 is disengaged by spring 58 and a pinch roller 37 normally held disengaged by spring 59 is simultaneously engaged by solenoid 60 to backfeed the tape at scan speed. In summary, when solemoid 53 is energized and solenoids 55 and 60 deenergized, the tape is advanced at normal speed; when both solenoids 55 and 53 are engaged the tape is advanced at scan speed; and when both solenoids 55 and 60 are energized the tape is backfed at scan speed.

As the dictator proceeds dictating, the tape is drawn taut from the transcribers bin 16 via the overhead path across the transcribers station 19 and dictators station 18 and around the guide roller 28 direct to the pinch roller 37 as shown in FIG. 1. The taut run of the tape from the guide roller 28 to the pinch roller 37 actuates a memory device 61 located just past the guide roller 28. The tape from the dictators station then accumulates in the dictators bin between the forward pinch roller 38 and the guide roller 22.

The instant the dictator backspaces the tape to listen back to a prior portion of his recording he begins drawing tape from the mass of the tape in the bin 15 be- I tween the pinch roller 38 and guide roller 22 and releases the tension on the run of the tape between the pinch roller 37 and the guide roller 28 to release the memory device 61 the effect of which is to mark the point of farthest advance of the recording along the tape. As soon as the dictator returns to this point of farthest advance and begins to draw a further tape from the transcribers bin the memory device is again actuated to give a suitable signal and to shift the machine back into recording condition as are well known in the art.

If the dictator continues dictating without the transcriber at the same time continuing to reproduce the recorded dictation, he will eventually use up all of the available tape in the transcribers bin causing the tape to be drawn taut against a dictator device 62 located between the transcribers forward pinch roller 38 and the guide roller 25 the effect of which can be utilized to give a signal to the dictator and transcriber that this condition has occurred.

If the transcriber begins reproducing the tape at this point, the device 62 is immediately released to signal the dictator that further tape is now available for dictation. As the transcriber runs ahead of the dictator the tape fed from the transcribers station will accumulate in the bin 16 between the transcribers pinch roller 38 and the guide roller 25. If the transcriber reproduces all of the tape available from the dictators bin the tape will be drawn taut against a transcribers device 63 to operate the same. This device 63 can be utilized to signal the transcriber that no further tape is available for transcription and also to apprise the dictator of this condition.

If at any time the transcriber backspaces the tape, the same will be drawn from the accumulated mass in the bin 16 between the transcribers forward pinch roller 38 and the guide roller 25 and will begin to accumulate another mass in the bin 16 between the transcribers pinch roller 37 and guide roller 22. Such backspacing could be continued until the tape is drawn taut from the transcribers station to the dictators station at which time the dictators device 62 would be again operated to signal the transcriber and dictator and to stop the reverse speed of the tape at the transcribers station.

A preliminary signal and a near-end signal are given to the dictator as the dictator approaches and then reaches the near-end of the tape available for dictation. The signalling apparatus is controlled by a device responsive to the weight of the tape in the transcribers bin 16. As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a flexible horizontal strap 64 at the bottom of the transcribers bin 16 is suspended at one end from a stationary pin 65 and at the other end by a movable pin 66 staked to a depending arm 67 of a bell crank lever 68 pivoted at 69 to a side wall of the bin to. A second horizontal arm 70 of this lever carries a pair of switch contacts 71 and 72 operable between adjustable contacts 73 and 74. An adjustable weight 75 on the arm 70 provides a bias which normally holds the strap 64 in a nearly taut condition andthe contacts 72 in engagement with the contacts 74. When a substantial amount of tape is in the bin 16 the weight thereof on the strap 64 actuates the switch lever 68 in a counterclockwise direction to hold the contact 71 in engagement with the contact 73. As the tape is used by the dictator to a point where an intermediate-end condition is reached say a condition wherein the dictator has only four or five minutes of tape available for recording the contacts 71-73 are broken to release a relay to close a preliminary signal circuit. As the dictator continues to use the tape to within a minute or less of the end of the tape available, the contacts 72-74 are closed to actuate a relay to close a near-end signalling circuit. By adjustment of the weight 75 along the arm 70 the points whereat these intermediate-end and near-end signals are started can be varied to suit the needs of the dictator.

The embodiment of my invention herein particularly shown and described is intended to be illustrative and not necessarily limitative of my invention since the same is subject to changes and modifications without departure from the scope of my invention, which I endeavor to express according to the following claims.

1 claim:

1. In an endless loop tape-recording and/or transcribing machine: the combination of a bin means for storing said tape in loops folded back and forth on itself, a recording and/or transcribing station above said bin means including a recording and/or transcribing head, means guiding'a run of said tape between opposite ends of said bin means above said station, and a reversible drive means included in said station for drawing the tape across said head from either end of said run at normal or scan speeds and then feeding the tape from said station into the bin means with the tape being tautened from the other end of the bin means throughout said tape run to the input of said drive means, said drive mechanism including a reversible drive capstan above said bin means driven selectively at normal and scan speeds, pinch rollers at opposite sides of said capstan, means guiding the tape from either end of said tape run to between one side of said capstan and respective pinch roller then across said head and back betweeen the other side of said capstan and respectivepinch roller to said bin means, and means for selectively engaging said pinch rollers with said capstan and for simultaneously setting the drive of said capstan at normal and scan speeds.

2. The tape recording and/or transcribing machine set forth in claim ll wherein said bin means includes two storage bins positioned end-to-end and two of said sta- I tions each with said reversible drive mechanism and with means guiding said top run of the tape from the outer end of one bin above both of said stations and back into the outer end of the other bin with feed of the tape directly from one bin to the other.

3. The tape recording and/or transcribing machine set forth in claim 2 wherein one of said stations is adapted primarily to serve as a recording station and the other primarily as a transcribing station, including a dictator's control means in the bin below the transcribers station between the drive mechanism of the transcribers station and the outer end of the transcribers bin for giving to give a warning signal responsive to a continued forward drive of the tape-from the recording station resulting in a tautening of the tape when all of the available tape has been drawn from the transcribers bin.

4. The tape recording and/or transcribing machine set forth in claim 2 wherein one of said stations is adapted primarily to serve as a recording station and the other primarily as a transcribing station, including a memory means held operated during recording by the tautening of said top run of the tape from said transcribers bin to said recorders station and released by the slackening of said top run of the tape upon the tape being back-fed at the recorders station for registering the prior point of farthest advance along the tape. I

5. The tape recording and/or transcribing machine set forth in claim 2 wherein one of said stations is adapted primarily to serve as a recording station and the other primarily as a transcribing sation, including a control means between said recording and transcribing stations operated by a tautening of the tape between said stations for signalling when all stored tape between said stations has been either transcribed or has been back-fed through said recording station.

6. The tape recording and/or transcribing machine set forth in claim 1, including a flexible strap having end supports for holding the strap horizontally across the bottom of said bin means, one of the end supports for said strap having a yieldable mounting, and control means for said machine responsive to the position of said yieldable end support and operated by the weight of the tape in said bin on said strap upon said weight reaching a preset value for signalling when the recorder reaches predetermined intermediate and near-end points along the available tape.

7. The tape recording and/or transcribing machine set forth in claim 6 wherein said control means includes a single-pole double-throw switch biased in one direction and held in its other position by the weight of the tape in the transcribers bin, said bias being set to cause the switch to break with its other contact when the recorder reaches said intermediate point in the amount of available tape, and wherein the switch makes with its first contact when the recorder reaches said near-end point in the amount ofavailable tape.

8. The tape recording and/or transcribing machine set forth in claim 7 including adjustable means for varying the tension on said flexible strap to shift said intermediate-end and ne'ar-end points of said available tape. 

1. In an endless loop tape-recording and/or transcribing machine: the combination of a bin means for storing said tape in loops folded back and forth on itself, a recording and/or transcribing station above said bin means including a recording and/or transcribing head, means guiding a run of said tape between opposite ends of said bin means above said station, and a reversible drive means included in said station for drawing the tape across said head from either end of said run at normal or scan speeds and then feeding the tape from said station into the bin means with the tape being tautened from the other end of the bin means throughout said tape run to the input of said drive means, said drive mechanism including a reversible drive capstan above said bin means driven selectively at normal and scan speeds, pinch rollers at opposite sides of said capstan, means guiding the tape from either end of said tape run to between one side of said capstan and respective pinch roller then across said head and back betweeen the other side of said capstan and respective pinch roller to said bin means, and means for selectively engaging said pinch rollers with said capstan and for simultaneously setting the drive of said capstan at normal and scan speeds.
 2. The tape recording and/or transcribing machine set forth in claim 1 wherein said bin means includes two storage bins positioned end-to-end and two of said stations each with said reversible drive mechanism and with means guiding said top run of the tape from the outer end of one bin above both of said stations and back into the outer end of the other bin with feed of the tape directly from one bin to the other.
 3. The tape recording and/or transcribing machine set forth in claim 2 wherein one of said stations is adapted primarily to serve as a recording station and the other primarily as a transcribing station, including a dictator''s control means in the bin below the transcriber''s station between the drive mechanism of the transcriber''s station and the outer end of the transcriber''s bin for giving to give a warning signal responsive to a continued forward drive of the tape from the recording station resulting in a tautening of the tape when all of the available tape has been drawn from the transcriber''s bin.
 4. The tape recording and/or transcribing machine set forth in claim 2 wherein one of said stations is adapted primarily to serve as a recording station and the other primarily as a transcribing station, including a memory means held operated during recording by the tautening of said top run of the tape from said transcriber''s bin to said recorder''s station and released by the slackening of said top run of the tApe upon the tape being back-fed at the recorder''s station for registering the prior point of farthest advance along the tape.
 5. The tape recording and/or transcribing machine set forth in claim 2 wherein one of said stations is adapted primarily to serve as a recording station and the other primarily as a transcribing sation, including a control means between said recording and transcribing stations operated by a tautening of the tape between said stations for signalling when all stored tape between said stations has been either transcribed or has been back-fed through said recording station.
 6. The tape recording and/or transcribing machine set forth in claim 1, including a flexible strap having end supports for holding the strap horizontally across the bottom of said bin means, one of the end supports for said strap having a yieldable mounting, and control means for said machine responsive to the position of said yieldable end support and operated by the weight of the tape in said bin on said strap upon said weight reaching a preset value for signalling when the recorder reaches predetermined intermediate and near-end points along the available tape.
 7. The tape recording and/or transcribing machine set forth in claim 6 wherein said control means includes a single-pole double-throw switch biased in one direction and held in its other position by the weight of the tape in the transcriber''s bin, said bias being set to cause the switch to break with its other contact when the recorder reaches said intermediate point in the amount of available tape, and wherein the switch makes with its first contact when the recorder reaches said near-end point in the amount of available tape.
 8. The tape recording and/or transcribing machine set forth in claim 7 including adjustable means for varying the tension on said flexible strap to shift said intermediate-end and near-end points of said available tape. 